Fighting the Forgetting Curve: Building Generalizations That Last

In this episode, we dig into one of the biggest hurdles students face in math learning: the forgetting curve. With so many distractions today, knowledge retention is harder than ever, making it crucial for us as educators to create opportunities for students to explore mathematics deeply, not just widely. I share how building generalizations — not just memorizing facts or shortcuts — strengthens mathematical understanding and helps students connect ideas across time. We’ll talk about how to design classroom experiences that slow forgetting, deepen reasoning, and set the stage for students to thrive. Plus, I’ll share practical ways you can start making these shifts right now.

Spoiler: it’s less about covering everything and more about going deeper where it counts.

Get ready to rethink your planning with purpose. (And stay tuned — next episode, we’ll connect this to engagement and classroom management strategies that make deep learning possible!)

🔹 Resources Mentioned:

• The Math Pact: Achieving Instructional Coherence Within and Across Grades by Bush, Karp, and Dougherty
• Desmos Activity: Generalizations vs Overgeneralizations vs Rules 

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